Kathmandu: Indian vaccine maker Serum Institute of India (SII) has said it had to dump 100 million doses of their Covid-19 vaccine after they expired.
As reported by BBC, the firm stopped producing Covishield in December last year due to low demand.
SII, the world’s largest vaccine maker, has been making the local version of AstraZeneca’s Vaxzevria jab.
Covishield accounts for over 90% of the doses given in India.
India has administered over two billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines. More than 70% of the Indian population has taken at least two doses, according to the federal health ministry.
In January 2022, India began giving boosters to healthcare and frontline workers, and those above 60 years with comorbidities. It was later expanded to all adults.
In July, free booster doses – or precaution doses as the government calls it – were provided to all adults for 75 days to mark 75 years of India’s independence.
But so far, India has administered just 298 million booster doses, according to the health ministry.
(News Source: BBC)